Feed-box for live stock.



Patented sept; l, ,190m

,epm-Q FILLMURE. v'FEED BOX FOH. LIVESTOCK. (Appucatin maman. 1v; 1902.)

42 4Sheets--SheeiV I; x

UNITED l STATES,

PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE M. FILLMORE, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, AS-

SIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, OF TWO-THIRDS TO JACKSON H. RALSTON, OF HYATTSVILLE, MARYLAND, AND M. II. RAMAGE AND ALBERT SCIIULTEIS, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.`

FEED-Box FoaLlvE STOCK.

SIECIFICATION forming part of Letters'latent No. 709,438, dated September 16, 1902. Application tied Tammy 17, 1902i.' serial No. 90,109. ut@ model.)

.1'0 al?, whom, it may concern.:

Be it known that I, GEORGE M. FILLMORE,

`residing at Vashington, Districtof Columbia, haveinvented certain new anduseful Improvements inFeed-Boxes for Livestock, of-

will be little or no waste of feed` by giving the animal access to a large quantity of feed, which hemight nose about and waste, and to compel the animal to eat slowly, thus preventing indigestion.

The improvement consists in certain con-` struct-ions and combinations of mechanism, as hereinafter' described and claimed; also, to simplify and cheapen the cost of construction of feed-boxes of the character stated and` to adapt them for use and for shipment at minimum of cost and of labor.

Figure lis a perspective viewof a feed-box involving my improvements. Fig. 2 isa ver tical central section through one feed-box, showing also the bowl of another to show the relations of the bowls in nesting forshipmentl Fig. 3 is a top plan of the bowl or body of the box. Fig. 4 is a perspective View of the piece forming the hopper front and cover.

Itis a matter of experience that where grain is fed to a horse in small quantities, so that the animal cannot at once get a complete mouthful, the animal will keep his nose in the trough and lick up the grain doled out to him andwill not so often swing his head, even if fiies are troublesome. If he does swing his head to drive away a fiy, not having much grain in his mouth he can waste but little. By thorough test of hopper-boxes of this character it has been found that a horse will keep in good condition with from ten to twenty per cent. less` grain if fed sparingly, as from a hopper. The box into which the hopper feeds need not be much larger than the nose of the 4 Ianimal, as thehorse will keep his mouth close to the hopper and lick up the feed as it comes down. As the feed is in such case more thoroughly masticated, the animal remains in better health.

The box A of this invention has a shallow trough B, with inclined front, rear, and sides.

The back side slants upward from the back of the trough and then extends upward as a flat back plate C. The sides of this back lplate C formwings D, through which holes foi-screws or other attaching devices are formed. An extension-lug C' at the top of plate ,C may have a hole for a holdingr screw or nail. 'The trough and back are preferably of metal, either of east metal or sheet metal, struck up orotherwise formed to shape. That `part of the trough toward the front into which lplate E, having side wings or flanges E F.

'lheV plate E forms the front and the flanges F F form the ends ofthe hopper, plate C forming the `back thereof.

It is desirable that the front and ends of lthe hopper be removable for shipment and for cleaning, and a large number of the troughs may be nested together when the hopper part is removed. It is desirable that the delivery-opening of the hopper be adjustable. The hopper or box sections may also be nested together.

The part E F is preferably of sheet metal bent to shape. When applied as in Figs. 1 and 2 to the trough-section, the lower part of the plate E extends nearly to the bottom of trough B aud near to the inclined portion of rear plate C, thus leaving a narrow opening below plate E. The shoulders B will hold the bottom of plate E, and the vwings or anges F, extending against the back plate in place. In addition to hooks G the hopperfront may be held in place by set-screws S, passing through slots in lugs T, turned out from the edge of the sides F.

A cover I is hinged to the box, preferably at the front upper corner of plate E. This cover when turned down to close the hopper, as in Fig. l, can hardly be lifted by the animal, but can readily be opened for charging the box.

The boX or hopper E can be adjusted to various heights, so as to allow a greater or less opening under plate E and between the same and the inclined part B of the trough-bottom for the feed of grain downward and forward by gravity. The set-screws T afford an efficient means for holding the front of the hopper at such heightas to regulate the feedopening. Anadditionalsupport maybe used, such as a pair of small wedges L, inside the hopper and having their narrow ends extending under plate E. These can be retained in place by lugs B2 on the box-bottom. A pair of wooden wedges can be formed by almost any farmer in a few moments and need not vbe shipped with the Atrough and hopper unless desired. Other means for adjusting the hopper-front will suggest themselves to the skilled mechanic.

The hooks G being attached to wings F lie close to the same and can be brought into engagement with eyes G to hold the hoppersections firmly together, but will permit sufiicieut adjustment of the parts'to secure the desired rapidity of feed from the hopper to trough B.

Cover I may be locked in any usual or convenient way, if desirable.

The wings F are inclosed by the sides of the trough sufficiently to make a joint close enough to prevent the leakage of grain.

The hopper front and sides can be removed for cleaning, &c., and the feed-bowl can then be used as an ordinary feed-box.

The size of boX B is preferably such as to contain an ordinary feed for a horse-say four, six, or eight quarts. The hopper-front and flanges should preferably be made of such size as to form a receptacle which will be a measure of known capacitysay one peck.

As will be understood from the foregoing, my feed-box is` capable of modification without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Thus the hopper might be adjusted by the set-screws alone or the Wedges alone; but with both devices a firmer fastening may be made, although I do not limit my claims to either.

1. In a feed-boX,the combination of a met-allic bowl having an inclined rear side, extending upward as a vertical back plate and provided with suspending devices, and a section forming a hopper front and sides, and adjustably and removably connected to the flat vertical back plate so as to form a receptacle between said hopper-section and the extended back of the bowl, substantially as described.

2. In a feed-box, the combination of a bowl having an upward extension at oneside,au adjustable and removable hopper-section having front and ends, and means for securing the hopper-section in adjusted relation to the bowl, so that the opening under the hopper into the bowl may be of the desired capacity.

3. The combination with the bowl having au extended back plate, of the hopper-section removably secured thereto, and means for adj ustiug andsecuring the hopper-section vertically on said back plate.

4t. The combination of the metallic bowl having upwardly-extended back plate, of the hopper-section having front and side lianges and slotted attaching-lugs, and set-screws eX- tending through the slots in said lugs into the back plate.

5. The combination of a metallic bowl having a widened rear portion and a back plate, of a removable hopper-section tting into the widened rear portion of the bowl, and attaching devices by which the hopper-section is attached to the back plate.

6. In a feed-box, the combination of a castmetal bowl having an extension back piece provided withsuspending devices and a sheetmetal hopper-section having a front and sides, and slotted'outturned lugs which rest against said back, said hopper and back being secured in adjusted relation, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE M. FILLMORE.

Witnesses:

W. A. BARTLETT, M. E. BROWN.

IOO 

